Back! And bloody hell ...

[blamebrampton]

Am back in Sydney, where the expected 47 degrees was a merciful 32 instead. But the air is dirty with smoke, and I am hiding inside where there is an air conditioner and iced water.

Mostly I am worried about my friends in Victoria. Jamie and Mere, are you two still all right? Blindmouse, where are you? Push and feral, if by chance you read this, I know you're in town, but how are your people? I have three friends and their families out on properties in the broad rural regions around Melbourne, and have not heard back from SMSes, possibly because my phone company is crap and can take ages to deliver them, possibly because they have their phones at the bottom of their bags as they evacuate to safer ares. Nothing for it but to wait until they have time to call back, until then I'll keep fingers and toes crossed.

It is truly horrible there now, at least 65 people have died in the fires and over 600 homes have been lost. I remember the Canberra fires a few years ago, and reading about Ash Wednesday, but these fires have taken a worse toll despite the improved fire fighting and better communications. The countryside is so dry and the air so hot that there is nothing to stop them. A wall of flame races faster than any car, burning people when they are trapped inside vehicles whose tires have melted to the road. I selfishly hope that none of my friends have been touched by the devastation, but when things are so bad that the state Premier and nation's Prime Minister are both moved to tears, how is anyone untouched? 

They say that some of the fires were lit by arsonists, and are looking for the culprits. I hope that the police find them, for they will then go to trial. If they are found by the residents, I do not think their fate will be so easy.

There are birthday wishes to send and news from New Zealand, but I will make a happier post for them. For now, good luck, Victorians.

Comments

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

i didn't realise it had got so bad. am glad you are safe, i hope your friends are, too.

(((hugs)))

[potteresque_ire]

Jamie posted a message earlier today. I hope the other people are all right as well *nods*.

California has similar fires every year in Autumn, when the Santa Ana winds blow across the region and the air is super dry; the fire that reached the closest to my parent's place stopped just one freeway across from their cluster of homes; that was a major battle line between the fire and the firemen who fought to control it for hours; I was watching the updates online a whole country away (I'm on the east coast) biting my nails the whole time. The sky was a bright orange, the air impossible to breathe, and everything was covered in ash.

And yes, every year, at least one of sources of the fire points to arson. It's difficult to catch the culprit though because usually the evidences had been decimated. There was nonetheless a year in which a woman was found to have started the whole mess because she was burning love letters from her boyfriend ... in a country park, surrounded by trees. *facepalms*

Oh, sorry for rambling, what I wanted to say is welcome back! It's good to see your post again. :)

*Hugs*

[shadowedkit.livejournal.com]

Welcome back and goodluck to Victorians. I haven't watched the news the last few days and did not realise it was so bad. I hope your friends and families are safe.
*hugs*

[calanthe-fics.livejournal.com]

As usual I am oblivious to the terrible suffering of others. And to think I'm worried about a silly job! I add my well wishes to yours.

[emerald-dragon8.livejournal.com]

*hugs you* I hope your friends are okay. So far mine are, I think. Some family members of friends that I'm a bit concerned about. :(

[complications-g.livejournal.com]

I was just watching this on the news, it's just awful. :(

I'm glad you're back though!

And so weird, it was actually cold last night here. I was so happy! Then it got hot again this afternoon. :\

[jamie2109.livejournal.com]

I spoke to Mere on the phone this morning and she was fine.

The phones have been in and out all day.

I am hating opening the email from the police as it always jumps the death toll. Too many...

[luthien82]

I hope you, your friends and your loved ones will be okay and I hope they'll get the culprits who did this. This is just horrible!

[arobynsung]

*sends hugs*
Hope you and your family & friends are alright!

[wenchilada.livejournal.com]

It is really awful being here and seeing what is going on back home...

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

Hey honey. I'm fine. We're close in near the city, so we're only affected by proximity and anxiety, and profound sadness and frustration.

It's not just a tragedy, but once again these fires are for the most part the result of arson - and I've heard that there are reports of arsonists going back and relighting fires that have been contained. I haven't had a chance to confirm this yet. Regardless - there should be a special law for anyone who can do this. The human cost is only the tip of the fiery iceberg.

I watched the fireball march into Canberra as the house we lived in was pelted with fire and ash, and had workmates who lost their homes in Duffy. I never thought I'd see quite such a disaster again, and certainly not this soon.

I'm sorry you had to come home to such a mess. I hope the folk up there in NSW are faring better.

*clings*

ps. phone services are very patchy across rural areas. between power lines and phone lines going out and mobile towers being burnt out, and the stress on the networks, it's very dodgy.

[vaysh11.livejournal.com]

Welcome back, darling, even if to such a horrible tragedy. My first and only bf lives in Victoria (yes, even some Germans relocate to down under), and I have yet to hear from him and his family.

The best of wishes for you all.

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

Welcome back! I'm sorry it's such a bleak picture to come back to. :( I hope all your friends are all right. I know it's wrong, but the dormant vigilante in me doesn't quite manage to join in your wish for the police to catch the arsonists ...

[alex-s9.livejournal.com]

It's really a disaster. I hope everything will be alright.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Arsonists?! Bloody hell! Bad enough when it's an accident, but that just sets the blood boiling. Jamie just posted & I believe Meredyth replied to her post, so they're both accounted for.

I hope it's over soon and that they are caught (by residents or by their own fires).

[astarael02.livejournal.com]

Oh my god... I didn't even know it was possible for it to be that hot without people dying... :-O
I had never even thought of it being so hot that tyres actually melted. I can't imagine how awful it must be.
I hope everyone you mentioned is OK, and no more people die. It's so worrying, and unspeakably sad :(
My thoughts are with everyone in Australia right now. xxx

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

D: How can people set fires when they know it's really dry

[feralcheryl.livejournal.com]

Our people are fine- worried and stressed but fine.
Alan's folks are at Wandong,so they had a very stressful day. As it is in these situations, the wall of flame was streaking up their street when the wind changed direction, their neighbours were not so lucky losing their home and livestock.
Dad is fine, basically he is safe because they were so badly burnt out two years ago that there is nothing to burn.
They're still pulling bodies out of Kinglake with at least 40 people still missing.
It's horrific. Nothing to be done other than donate and pray for rain.